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Every year, if I plan my time right, I come up with and make several Christmas cards designs to later pick one “Hero” design, mass produce it and use as my Christmas cards to send to my family and my friends for that year.
I didn’t do that last year as I was just too busy with work and I kind of started too late. This year I am determined to make all of our Christmas cards and send them to at least some my closes family and my closest friends.
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I’ve already started thinking about different designs and I have shared a few ideas already (Copic Colored Ornaments cards, Single Pen Colored Cards). I also love to send photo cards around Christmas and include a Christmas photo of our family which is basically myself, husband and our 2 cats along with a little newsletter telling people what’s new in our lives.
The photo that I am using for these cards today was taken last year before the holidays and since we were in the USA at that time we didn’t have our cats with us, so it was just me and Oles. I got us matching pajamas from Macy’s specifically for this photo and we are wearing those for the photoshoot.
I decided I would use my new gadget – Glimmer Hot Foil System from Spellbinders to add some foiling over photos.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
As always, I filmed a video tutorial showing how to create this project from start to finish. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel.
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up (you can do this on Youtube video page right under the video) and share with a crafty friend! Leave me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
GLIMMER HOT FOIL SYSTEM
The Hot Foil system is not like a laminator. The foil you use for this is different and the means with which you apply the foil are also different. With the Glimmer Hot Foil system you use Hot Foil Plates that pretty much look like thin etched dies. But let me stop right there – there are not dies. They are a little bit different, they are a little bit thicker and you cannot die cut with them. You can foil with them, you can letterpress with them and you can stamp with them.
I filmed several video for Spellbinders explaining how the Glimmer Hot Foil System works so if you are interested in getting this system please go ahead and watch those videos:
CARD DETAILS
I started by printing my Holiday photos. I use Canon Selphy printer for this and print my photos at home. I printed 5 photos to try a different hot foil plate and foil color on each to help me pick the best design. I linked all Hot Foil plates and all foil colors in the supplies below.
I used each photo to make a simple Christmas card. I used patterned paper for some cards, photo corners or my other cards (and I actually had photo corners in different colors – white, gold and silver and I tried to match them to the color of foil I used) etc.
With this photo corners approach the recipient can actually take the photo out of the card and put it in their photo album without having to store the full card. So it’s neat idea.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil System Shop at: SSS | SC | SB | AZ |
 Spellbinders Platinum Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS | SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil – Gold Shop at: SC | SB |
 Glimmer Hot Foil – Matte Gold Shop at: SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil – Silver Shop at: SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil – Rose Gold Shop at: SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil – Red Shop at: SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil 4 Rolls – Metallic Gold & Silver Shop at: SSS | SC | SB | AZ |
 Glimmer Hot Foil 4 Rolls – Holiday Shop at: SC | SB |
 Happy Holidays Glimmer Hot Foil Plate Shop at: SC | SB |
 Making Spirits Bright Glimmer Hot Foil Plate Shop at: SC | SB |
 Copperplate Merry & Bright Glimmer Hot Foil Plate Shop at: SB |
 Faux Happy Holidays Glimmer Hot Foil Plate Shop at: SB |
 Canon SELPHY CP1300 Shop at: AZ |
 Multi Craft – Embossed Photo Corners – Kraft Shop at: SC |
 Multi Craft – Embossed Photo Corners – Black and White Shop at: SC |
 Multi Craft – Embossed Photo Corners – Gold and Silver Shop at: SC |
That’s an interesting idea!! Creative use of foil on photos!
Hi Yana. You are so creative. Thanks for sharing this, I have not seen this before.
My favourite was the 2 cards where the die was a bit thicker and in silver or gold. I found the red not so easy to see on the pictures.
It was helpful to learn more about this hot foiling product. Thank you – I love your videos. Of the cards, my preferences are the two with gold – the first card with the reindeer and the last card with the gold corners. In any event, your friends and family will be thrilled to receive such a special card.
I love the last one, the one with the gold photo corners and pattern paper. I always make a card and then do a collage photo of my husband and I and then add other photos of my grown kids so that family can see what they are up to especially now that we have a new granddaughter. I usually just put the card and letter on the inside of card, but wow you gave me a great idea to put the card on the front with photo corners! I still scrapbook along with making cards so I’m sure I still have some photo corners! Love all the card ideas, but I love the idea of removing the photo, thanks for sharing!
What wonderful cards, my favorite is the last one, I love gold and red together. You two are an adorable couple.
I much prefer Merry Christmas over Happy Holidays. Your cards are all cute, though. That picture is adorable.
Hi Yana – I like the gold foil on the card best – I think it shows up better, at least in the video. I also like “script” words, as they can be a little crooked and not matter. As for whether or not to use photo corners, that is hard for me to say, as I liked the ornaments in the upper right corner, which would suggest no photo corners. 🙂
BTW – I love the photos!
Oh my goodness this is an awesome idea and so simple at the same time your cards look amazing…. now I got to ask Santa for one of these tee hee
I like the last card best. Great idea with the photo corners!
I understand that Hot Foiling is different than toner / laminator foiling. My question is could you use a toner card and foil in this machine. The laminator I have broke and instead of buying a new laminator and this machine – I was hoping I could use this machine for both. Thanks for the helpful videos.
Hello Beth,
Just now getting back to you, sorry for delay!
To answer your question, no you cannot use a toner card in Glimmer machine, it’s a completely different technology that doesn’t require toner to bind foil onto the paper. Hope this clears things up.
The last card with gold fouling and gold Cornwall’s, very elegant!
Loved your card with the snowflakes. I thought your idea of foiling over a photograph was very clever. I would love to try doing that. Thanks for the inspiration.